Wild Ones conference shows vital connection

Jan. 22, 2014

YARD MD | ROB ZIMMER

Written by

Post-Crescent Media

More than ever before, the importance of landscaping with native plants in areas big and small is vital.

The intricate web of life linking native plants to pollinating insects such as bees, butterflies and moths is a fragile thing.

Some species, such as the beloved Monarch butterfly, may never recover from the loss of native plants, pesticide use and habitat loss that all come with human progress and development, not just here in our area but from continent to continent.

Learn all about the precious connection between native plants and pollinating insects, why we are at the breaking point and what you can do to help by attending the annual Wild Ones Native Landscapers conference Toward Harmony with Nature from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Oshkosh Convention Center.

Do you think of your garden or yard as a last chance for the survival of threatened plants, insects and animals? Doug Tallamy, author and keynote speaker at the conference, will explain why and how our home and community gardens can be recreated to take on this vital role.

According to experts at Neenah-based Wild Ones, our remaining natural areas are too small and too isolated to support the wildlife that runs our ecosystems, especially the pollinators responsible for much of the food we eat. The bees and butterflies that pollinate the gardens and orchards we grow are necessary to our very survival on the planet.

The message of this year’s conference is urgent and clear: The way we landscape and garden today is not sufficient to sustain these life-giving creatures, and changes are necessary.